


dream

by daisiechains



Series: Dream a Dream [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M, Rated T for Mentions of Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 05:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18492103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisiechains/pseuds/daisiechains
Summary: Nathaniel had never so much as put a toe on the ground before, and suddenly he's on an adventure with the opposite of Prince Charming.  But perhaps he's sort of cute...and perhaps Nathaniel is falling for someone rather than off his tower...





	dream

**Author's Note:**

> i watched tangled the other day and this is all i could think about after...yes i wrote this entire fic just so i could have andrew and neil saying "you were my new dream" and you can't judge me for that

Nathaniel didn’t bother counting how many strokes it took to brush his hair.  He had far too much of it to bother, dozens of feet of shiny black locks.  Most people cut their hair, but Nathaniel was not so lucky.  For his hair was blessed with magic, and once cut it would turn to a lifeless rust and lose its power.  The magic was too precious to waste, so it needed to be kept safe.  Or so at least his father insisted.  His father who used his magic liberally, his father who made it so that Nathaniel needed to use it on himself to end the bleeding.

Nathaniel's father always reminded him how precious a power it was, and kept him locked in a tower somewhere Nathaniel was too sheltered to know.  To protect him, he promised.  There are people out there that would use him for his powers, people who would harm him to harvest it.  Nathaniel’s protection was the utmost priority, because any person that he could meet would be a threat.

Maybe this was why, when a blonde thief climbed his tower and hid inside, Nathaniel’s first instinct was to whack him with a frying pan.

Nathaniel didn’t have any form of rope, so he tied the thief up in his hair to a chair.  He didn’t look too dangerous.  His teeth weren’t sharp like Nathaniel had expected, and his face seemed somewhat soft.  He had strong arms, but so did Nathaniel from pulling his father up the tower every day by his hair.  He was surprised to find that he didn’t find himself scared or threatened.  He stared down at the man’s unconscious form.  “What should I do with you?”

Kevin, a small and admittedly annoying lizard Nathaniel could call his only friend, pointed out the window of his tower with his tail.  Nathaniel raised his eyebrow and scoffed.  “I am _not_ asking him to take me to see the lights, Kevin.  We both know I can’t trust anyone but you and father.”

If lizards could roll their eyes Nathaniel would assume that Kevin doing so right now.  He wouldn’t admit it, but he had been considering it as well.  The lights that floated in the sky once a year on his birthday would happen soon, and now that Nathaniel was turning eighteen he was getting restless with his desire to see them.  His father insisted they were stars, but Nathaniel knew.  They were something special, and he needed to know what they were.

The thief began to stir, jarring Nathaniel from his thoughts.  He quickly hid in the shadows and watched him.  The man winced as he came to.  He moved as if to touch his hand to where Nathaniel had hit him, but his arm was restricted by Nathaniel’s hair.  He stared at the hair for a while, not a single emotion flitting across his features.  As Nathaniel was beginning to consider knocking him out again and throwing him off the tower the man started pulling at the hair.  Soon he fell over in the chair, and Nathaniel felt a tug at his scalp and yelped.  The stranger’s head whipped in his direction, and although he couldn’t see him Nathaniel still felt like he was staring right into his eyes.

“There’s no point in struggling.  You might as well give up now.”  The man glared in Nathaniel’s direction.  “Let me out or I’ll kill you.”

There was no doubt malice in his words, but Nathaniel couldn’t bring himself to feel scared.  What could this man do to him that his father hadn’t already?  He didn’t leave the shadows, but moved closer.  “Who are you, and how did you find me?”

Nathaniel didn’t receive an answer, so he raised his frying pan and moved closer.  “If you don’t answer me I swear-”

“Andrew”  Nathaniel froze, his frying pan suddenly feeling like an awkward appendage.  He kept his grip, but slowly lowered it.  “I didn’t find you because I wasn’t looking.  Untie me.”

Nathaniel pointed the frying pan at Andrew’s face.  Andrew didn’t flinch.  “Who else knows my location?  Are there other thieves I should be worried about?”

“I told you I didn’t find you on purpose.  I-”  Andrew looked at either side of him then back at Nathaniel.  “Where is my satchel?”

Nathaniel jabbed Andrew in the face with the frying pan, hoping to instill some sort of fear in the intruder.  “I’ve hidden it, and unless you aid me I refuse to disclose the location.”

Despite being tied up, threatened, and stripped of his belongings Andrew regarded Nathaniel with a bored expression.  “No.”

Andrew’s indifference infuriated Nathaniel.  He considered what argument would be equally convincing and agitating for the thief.  “Then you can say goodbye to whatever reward you expected for the contents.  To think you risked arrest for something that appears so valuable only to lose it in the forest.”

Nathaniel realized that Andrew just seemed to be a person without emotion, but didn’t miss the way his jaw clenched at Nathaniel’s words.  “I didn’t risk arrest.”

Nathaniel crossed his arms over his chest, swinging his frying pan back and forth.  He frowned and cocked his head to the side.  “So you didn’t steal it?”

“I knew I wouldn’t get caught.”  As Andrew spoke he began to attempt to wriggle out of Nathaniel’s hair again.

Nathaniel couldn’t help but smile.  He tried not to laugh as he spoke.  “You did get caught, though?”  Andrew stilled and glared at Nathaniel.  “I will kill you.”

Nathaniel crouched beside Andrew’s head and held the frying pan level with his nose.  “You will _help_ me.”

“And when I get the satchel back?  You will die.”  Nathaniel ignored the threat and started to lift Andrew’s chair.  “Oh good, so that is a yes.  In a few days the sky lights up with bright yellow lights.”  Nathaniel pointed out the largest window of his tower for emphasis.  “Take me to them.”

Andrew looked at Nathaniel like he expected him to admit he was joking.  After a few moments, he finally said, “You are stupider than you look.  They’re just lanterns.”

“And you are just a thief I can turn in to the authorities.”  Nathaniel glared at Andrew, but inside his heart soared at learning what the lights were.  He knew they weren’t stars, and now that he had proof his father was lying he felt even more that he had to see them.  Andrew glared.  “You can’t find the authorities.”  Neil pulled Andrew’s chair forward and leaned close to him.  “And you can't find your satchel without me. Do you want to risk either?”

It felt like hours before Andrew finally spoke.  “Untie me.”  Nathaniel made no movements to do so.  He was so close and he felt like he had a chance.  “Swear it.  On your blood swear you will help.”  Andrew gritted his teeth.  “I swear it.  Untie me, Rapunzel.”

“I am no children’s tale.  I-”  Nathaniel hesitated.  “I am Neil.”

Andrew did not seem to care.  “Untie me, Neil.”

Nathaniel expected Andrew to attack him when he untied him, and would admit he was shocked when Andrew walked straight over to the window and muttered, “Let’s get this over with,” under his breath.  When he turned around he gestured to the window.  “Is the frog coming?”

Nathaniel felt a pang of fear at leaving, at disobeying his father, but pushed it down as he followed him to the ledge, standing far enough that Andrew couldn’t push him over.  “His name is Kevin, and he is a _chameleon_.”

Nathaniel wasn’t expecting this much from his adventure.  He wasn’t expecting to befriend an entire tavern of thugs and mercenaries, that they would help him and Andrew escape from the royal guard.  Nathaniel didn’t expect that he would be trapped and almost drown with Andrew to the point that he would confide in him about his powers.  He didn’t know that one’s heart could race so fast from holding another person’s injured hand to heal it.  Having his hair braided with flowers was surprisingly fun and a huge relief that he could properly walk, and forcing Andrew to dance with him until sunset was so exhilarating that when they separated to see the lanterns he almost felt a pang of disappointment.

Andrew immediately let go of Nathaniel as the music stopped.  He looked out at the water and then back at Nathaniel.  “Follow me.”  Nathaniel didn’t protest, and he melted a little when he saw what Andrew had led him to.  In the water sat a small boat, big enough for two.  “For your lanterns.”

Nathaniel looked at Andrew.  “You’re coming out on the water with me, right?”  Having grown up in a tower Nathaniel had never learned how to swim.  Being out on the water alone terrified him.  And there was a part of him, an extremely embarrassed part, that knew that he wanted Andrew there with him.  He wouldn’t have been able to get this far, wouldn’t even have had the courage to leave if it was not for Andrew.  It was embarrassing to admit, but he wanted to share this moment with him.

They sat on the water for a long time in silence, Andrew watching the water with disinterest and Nathaniel watching Andrew out of the corner of his eye.  Eventually he took a flower out of his braid and started pulling out the petals, letting them fall to the water.  “I’ve been dreaming about this for so long…I-”  It was supposed to be only a thought, but before Nathaniel realized it the sentence had slipped from his mouth.  Andrew’s head shifted in his direction, but he did not answer nor emote.  

With Andrew’s intense eyes on him Nathaniel felt more pressure to continue speaking.  “I guess I am just nervous.”  He ran out of petals on the flower and started to tear at the stem.  “If it’s not everything I thought it would be-”

Andrew cut Nathaniel off, probably because the few sentences had already gotten on his nerves.  “It will be.  Don’t waste what little brain you have on stupid worries.”

Nathaniel couldn’t help but laugh.  He could’ve sworn Andrew clenched his fists at the sound, but refused to contain his amusement for the sake of his temper.  Nathaniel looked back out over the water, up at the city before them.  “But then...what if it is? What then?”

Andrew followed his gaze.  “Then find a new dream.”

Nathaniel wasn’t sure what he was expecting Andrew to say, but the lack of venom in Andrew’s voice definitely caught him off guard.  He stared at his profile for a while before smiling softly.  “Yeah. I will. Thank you, Andrew.”

Andrew didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to.  

Within less than an hour the lanterns had taken to the sky, and Nathaniel felt like he might explode from happiness.  He was surrounded by the bright, golden light of the lanterns. His father had always said the lights were stars, and in this moment Nathaniel felt like he and Andrew were two stars themselves.  He stared in awe, lifting up any lanterns that came too close to the water near them.

He turned back to Andrew to say something, _anything_ , only to be met with two lanterns.  Andrew looked as bored as he always had, but the gold illuminating him made him burn brighter than any smile could have.  Nathaniel smiled softly as they let their lanterns float high, joining the others in illuminating the sky.  He smiled as he watched them float away, and when he lost track of them he turned to Andrew.  Nathaniel slowly reached his hands out towards Andrew’s, and stopped when they were right above his. He could tell that he couldn’t cross this line himself, but if Andrew didn’t do it for Nathaniel he felt his heart may break.

When Andrew joined their hands his heart didn't break so much as jump and swell and beat so fast Nathaniel could hear it in his ears. He stared at their hands and tried to suppress a smile but at Andrew’s, “Get that stupid look off your face,”  it only grew wider.  Andrew stared at him for a few seconds before leaning in, and then-

And then everything went wrong.

Suddenly Andrew wanted to dock on a shore away from the city, and was gone.  Then strangers were there, large ones, saying Andrew had the satchel and sold him and his powers.  Like he was nothing, like he _meant_ nothing.  Nathaniel’s heart broke, and then his father was there.  Nathaniel was broken, but with his stern, “Let’s go home, Nathaniel,” he felt himself shatter into a thousand pieces.  Andrew made him feel alive, and by leaving he had killed any semblance of joy inside him.

Getting back to the tower was a blur, but the next day Nathaniel awoke with pain in his body from his father and pain in his heart from Andrew.  He thought it couldn’t hurt more, but then he heard of Andrew’s execution and he ached to save him.  There could have been a misunderstanding with them, an accident.  He knew Andrew wouldn’t want it but he had to leave and rescue him.

Nathaniel wasn’t sure how Andrew had escaped the royal guard and returned to the tower, but in his head he screamed for Andrew to run rather than climb his hair.  He would have begged with his mouth too had he not been bound and gagged by his father.  When Andrew appeared through the window Nathaniel felt his own heart sink, and when his father stabbed him Nathaniel felt ignited in rage.  He pulled against his chains, screamed behind his gag, tried his hardest to get to Andrew’s side.

Nathaniel’s father tried to pull him by the chains away from where Andrew was bleeding out, but Nathaniel yelled as his gag came undone and he fell to the floor.  “No!  I won’t go.  I won't follow you.  Every second you try to take me from him I will fight you.  But,”  Nathaniel prepared for the pain but steeled himself as he took a deep breath.  “If you let me heal him, I’ll go.  Willingly, I’ll never fight or run away again.”

“No.  Absolutely not.”  Nathaniel shot a glare at Andrew's weak protest before sending a pleading glance at his father.  “I will never ask for anything else again. Please just let me save him.”

Nathaniel’s father took the chains off Nathaniel, but he was too scared to move.  He slowly moved his eyes from his bleeding wrists to Andrew.  Nathaniel watched his father attach the chains to Andrew instead so that he couldn’t follow, and the second he moved away Nathaniel was at Andrew’s side.

Andrew was visibly in a great deal of pain, but his face didn’t depict much emotion beyond his practiced face of boredom.  Nathaniel reached out for Andrew’s face but stopped before their skin actually met.  Andrew didn’t react, but his breathing became harsher as he lost more blood.  He reached out a hand and cupped Nathaniel’s face instead.  “Neil, I won’t...let you do this.”

Nathaniel smiled sadly and placed his hand over Andrew’s.  “I won’t let you die. I can’t, Andrew.”

Andrew moved his hand back and leaned in, and Nathaniel was shocked and embarrassed at the idea that after snubbing him on the boat he took _this_ chance to kiss him.  He began to close his eyes, but they immediately opened again after feeling a weight leave his head.  

He felt his hair, only to find it all gone.

Nathaniel took the hair on the floor into his hands, watching as the ebony black lightened into auburn.  He looked to his father, saw him fading into a shell of himself before falling out the window to his death.

It would be a lie to say Nathaniel felt anything but relief at the death of his father, but hearing Andrew’s labored breathing brought him back to the cruel reality of the dying man who actually meant something to him.  He took Andrew’s hand to the hair left on his head, begging for it to just bless one more person with its power before it was all gone, to just save the one person he ever really needed it to.

But nothing happened.  As Nathaniel felt his hope depleting and his heart breaking all over, Andrew spoke.  His voice was growing weak.  “Neil.”  Nathaniel looked to him with broken eyes. “Neil...you were my new dream.”

Nathaniel couldn’t remember at what point he had ended up falling for Andrew like this, and a weak and sad smile came to his face.  He tightened his hand on Andrew’s. “And you were mine.”

And then Andrew was silent and still, and Nathaniel begged harder, wished harder, until everything went black.  

_“Did anyone ever tell you I have a thing for brunettes?”_

Neil’s eyes slowly blinked open.  He pushed himself up a little, then heard a grunt and realized what he was lying on was a living thing.  Neil absently wiped the drool from his face.  “Weren’t you the one who wanted to watch this?”

Andrew.

Neil’s head whipped up, and he was looking into the eyes of the man who had just died.  Andrew.  Andrew was here and he was okay and he was _breathing_.  Neil immediately started patting Andrew's abdomen, examining it for any signs of a stab wound and ignoring Andrew’s,  “You did not seriously get turned on by a children’s movie.”

After a few more moments of Neil's frantic search Andrew placed his left hand over Neil’s and took Neil’s chin in his other hand.  Neil felt the cool of metal on one of Andrew’s fingers, and couldn’t help but find comfort at the sensation.  Andrew stared at Neil for a few moments, and Neil melted as he smiled up at him.  “You’re safe, Andrew.”

Andrew’s face stayed the same, but he gave Neil’s hand a tight squeeze.  “I am safe.  You are safe.  We are at home. _Our_ home, Neil Josten-Minyard.”

At the mention of their home reality came back to Neil.  He wasn’t the long-haired lost Nathaniel in a tower.  He was Neil Josten-Minyard, professional Exy player and gold medalist.  And, of course, husband of two years to Andrew Josten-Minyard.

Neil slowly raised his face toward Andrew’s, to his _husband’s_ , gently pressing their lips together.  He reveled in the way Andrew’s touch felt, the way they trusted each other enough to not have to ask for kisses anymore.  The movie still played in the background, but Neil didn’t care.  He already missed most of it, and they could always rewatch it another day.  

_“And we are living happily ever after.”_

When Neil had gotten his fill of kissing and had calmed down he took his previous spot resting his head on Andrew’s chest.  “You really drooled all over my shirt.  I just washed it.”  Andrew reached behind Neil and grabbed the remote.  The credits were rolling, but the screen turned to black as Andrew shut it off.  

They stared at the TV for a long time before Neil turned his head back toward Andrew.  “Andrew, you know what?”  Andrew slowly shifted his gaze from the blank television to Neil and waited for him to continue.  Neil smiled.  “You are my new dream.”

Andrew didn’t smile back, but he didn’t have to.  His eyes twinkled in a certain way only ever Neil noticed, the way Andrew insisted Neil always imagined, and he leaned down to press a kiss to Neil’s forehead.

“And you are mine.”

**Author's Note:**

> neil strikes me as the kind of person who struggles separating dream from reality when he wakes up, so in situations where ha cant sit there and sort through his thoughts id imagine he panics. i have ideas for other andreil disney fics so if i write them i'll probably gather them into like...a disney andreil series bc i have a problem. the next one is them in this universe going to wdw for the first time :3c


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